


The Smell of Rain

by Vespertilio



Category: Batman: The Telltale Series (Video Game)
Genre: Anger, Comfort, Emotional Rollercoaster, F/M, Mentions of Violence, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-21 14:40:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30023310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vespertilio/pseuds/Vespertilio
Summary: Ada is a volunteering nurse living with the Pact. During her time with the group, she grows fond of John Doe, an eccentric man who struggles finding his place amongst them. She harbors hopes of saving him, despite the constant hostility of her surroundings.
Relationships: John Doe & Original Character, John Doe/OC, John Doe/Original Character, John Doe/Original Female Character
Kudos: 1





	The Smell of Rain

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> This story takes place during the season two of the Batman Telltale series; I did change a few things to adapt to my story however!
> 
> Hope you will like this first chapter.

A cold rain was pouring down for a week now, like a grim and blurry veil on the entire city of Gotham. The wet streets were mostly desert now, though we could not entirely blame it on the weather; the recent killing sprees and attacks committed by the Riddler and his men plunged the city into fear and anguish. It took some time for the people of Gotham after the criminal’s announced death to go back to a semi-normal routine.

The noise of water drops echoed in the Batcave like a calming music, merely interrupted by the sound of Bruce Wayne typing on the keyboard of the Batcomputer. Alfred’s light footsteps broke the silence of the cave, discreetly bringing warm tea to Bruce, now perfectly lost in his thoughts, only noticing his butler’s presence once he cleared his throat. He sat back in his chair and offered him a polite smile, while Alfred poured some citrusy tea in an immaculate cup before handing it to him on a saucer.

– Thank you, Alfred’’ Bruce said, holding the cup. The warmth of the porcelain felt soothing on his cold skin. Alfred silently nodded, then held his hands behind his back, standing straight. Bruce smelt the subtle perfume of the citrus before taking a sip.

– Regina called about your ‘‘friends’’, Bruce. I’m afraid it will be difficult to convince her of the exact nature of your relationship with them’’ Alfred informed him. 

In order to get closer to the criminal organization named the Pact, Bruce let John Doe and Harley Quinn penetrate Wayne Enterprises to retrieve the Phalanx Key, an invaluable item capable of opening any electronic lock. The operation did not go smoothly, and soon enough Harley was found threatening the life of Regina Zellerbach, the chairwoman of Wayne Enterprises, merely present in the wrong place at the wrong moment. With great efforts, Bruce convinced Harley to let her go, knowing full well there would be consequences to his actions. He swallowed thickly, staring at Alfred.

– Do you think you can do something about her?’’ He asked, visibly worried about the whole situation. Alfred nodded in response.

– I’ll see what I can do. I hope this incident was at least worth your efforts, and the great risks you took.’’

– I hope so too, Alfred’’ Bruce only answered, interrupted by his phone chirping. He cocked an eyebrow when the name of John Doe appeared on his screen, before opening the unread message.

‘‘You’re in. Corner of Finger and 18th. One hour.’’ Bruce sighed in relief; his efforts did pay, he was about to meet the rest of the Pact. A dangerous thing to do on his own, but there was no other option currently to learn more about the group, and possibly dismantle it. Once he finished his cup of tea, Bruce grabbed his leather jacket, in front of Alfred’s concerned stare.

– Are you leaving, Bruce ?’’ he asked in a worried tone, while Bruce put on some leather gloves to complete his outfit.

– Don’t worry, Alfred. I’ll be in and out before you know it’’ he replied in a comforting yet unconvincing voice. Despite Alfred’s obvious disapproval, he finished getting himself ready, then left the Batcave to meet with John at the given location.

Arriving at the address, Bruce had just enough time to warn the Agency of his position before two men grabbed him by behind, knocked him unconscious and brought him to the Pact’s hideout, the Old Five Points abandoned subway station. When he woke up, he was cuffed to a chair, in front of Harley, John, Bane and soon after Mr Freeze. John was absolutely ecstatic to see him and could not stay in place, while Harley seemed slightly friendly, unexpectedly so. Bane, on the other hand, was rather hostile towards Bruce and even threatened him, grabbing his arm so forcefully it opened a wound still fresh from a previous fight. The pain made Bruce squint, but he did not lose his temper; there was simply too much at stake.

Convincing them to be part of their group was not an easy task, but after a few words exchanged with the members, they all more or less warmed up to the idea of welcoming the billionaire in the Pact. The only one who seemed particularly delighted was John, as usual. Bruce thought he would be a valuable person to have around, if only for his trust and support amongst the rest of the group.

As everyone seemed on relatively good terms and talked about the next plan, a fast footstep echoed in the hideout. Bruce turned his head and saw a woman in what seemed to once be a white coat, now stained with dust, dried blood and grease, running in the distance, dragging a heavy and damaged medical bag besides her. Her hair was messily tied up, and a bandaid was poorly holding together one arm of her crooked glasses.

Bane nodded in her direction before leaving the place, while John smiled widely and frantically waved at her. She flashed a shy smile on her tired face as she joined the group, put her bag on the floor and adjusted her glasses. Then, she brushed her hand on her coat, trying to make it less dirty, and extended it to Bruce, who immediately shook it.

– I’m Ada’’ she introduced herself in a calm yet friendly voice that gave away her weariness.

– She’s the Doc!’’ John added excitingly. Ada turned her face in his direction and smiled, noting in passing Harley rolling her eyes, exasperated for some reason.

– And I’m Bru––’’ 

– Everyone knows who you are, moneybag’’ Harley cut, obviously not a fan of politeness or decent courtesy. Bruce removed his hand and smiled at Ada.

– Pleased to meet you’’ she whispered carefully. Harley angrily grabbed John by the arm.

– We’ll leave you, then. Take your time, love, we don’t want our plans tonight ruined because of him!’’ Harley cooed, leaving the area with John, noticeably confused and disappointed to leave his friends so soon.

– See you later, Ada!’’ he said in the distance, waving at her. Ada winked at him in response, which made him smile. She then grabbed a folding chair and sat in front of Bruce, still unsure of the reason she was here.

– So… Bruce Wayne’’ she cleared her throat. ‘‘Your presence here is rather… unexpected.’’

– How so?’’ he asked cautiously. Ada looked around her, making sure no one was close enough to hear them.

– Why are you here, really? I remember how important justice was for you, when you helped the GCPD catch Oswald Cobblepot and Lady Arkham last year…’’

Bruce carefully thought of his next answer, but got cut before he had the time to speak.

– Look, I’m not exactly working for the Pact. I just volunteered to make sure everyone here was safe, including hostages. I don’t have a side, they allow me to stay as long as I nurse them. In exchange, I can take care of the people they don’t kill.’’

– Why not alerting the GCPD where they are or what their next plan is, then?’’ Bruce asked. Ada laughed, pointing at herself.

– Me? Look at me, Bruce. I couldn’t even slap anyone, let alone betray any of them without risking my own life. They know that, they’re not afraid of me’’ she answered, half amused, half worried, her eyebrows twisting in anguish. She then bit her bottom lip, and inhaled. ‘‘Besides… I want to believe that some of them can be saved.’’ Bruce cocked an interested eyebrow at her last words.

– Saved?’’ He asked. She then sighed.

– I spent quite some time with them now, you know?’’ she replied, looking at her bag next to her chair, suddenly remembering why she was here in the first place. 

‘‘Well, I’ve heard Bane hurt you, would you like me to take a look?’’ Bruce furrowed his brow, then removed his jacket, and rolled up the sleeve of his shirt, revealing the wound on his arm that Bane accidentally reopened earlier. Ada opened her bag and retrieved the essential necessities, then dragged her chair closer to Bruce in a scraping noise, and took a closer look at the wound.

– All I’m saying, Bruce, is that some of them should not be here in the first place. Something failed them; the system, authorities, life… It doesn’t excuse the horrifying things they’ve done, but…’’ she whispered, applying a disinfecting product on his bloodied skin. He nodded in response, looking at her tending his wounds silently. After a few minutes, she finished bandaging his arm.

– I know you’re not here to be part of  _ them’’ _ she whispered, locking eyes with him, while he kept his calm, remaining perfectly neutral. 

‘‘What are you doing with them, once the GCPD or the Agency finds them?’’ She asked. Bruce looked at her silently, choosing his words in his mind.

– What makes you think I don’t want to be part of the Pact? Maybe I need a new thrill’’ he answered. She chuckled, and adjusted her glasses.

– Fine, have it your way, Bruce’’ she concluded, putting back her material and products in her bag, and closing it. 

‘‘If you ever need anything, just know you have a friend here’’ she finally said, leaving the chair. In the distance, she gave Bane a thumb up, letting him know she was done with her job.

Not too long after, Bane called out the rest of the Pact, asking if everyone was ready for what was happening next. Everyone was checking the inventory, recapitulating the plan for the night, making sure they had the appropriate weapons, in front of the worried eyes of Ada.

A lingering feeling of anxiety echoed in her every time the Pact was ready to leave, fully aware of the damages they would cause on their way back. It has been a couple of months now since she agreed with the GCPD to be a volunteering nurse in order to save as many people as she could, yet she still did not get used to the violence or the uselessly spilled blood. However, she always kept her composure, remembering why she was here, only allowing herself to cry once her day was over and she could lock herself in her temporary room upstairs. Every member of the Pact, besides Bruce of course, had a place to stay at the base; and while no one forced Ada to stay here as well, she could read between the lines how much better it was to have a nurse at their disposal.

In the two months spent next to them, she had the time to learn more about the members of the group. To some degree, she even bounded with them; while they did not necessarily think of her as a friend, she was tolerated, and even treated with some sort of respect. Besides of course on the bad days, where Bane could be verbally rough, or Harley physically pushy with her. The only one who remained nice and supportive to her was John, so much that she felt a special bond with him, a closer bond than the one she had with the rest of them anyway.

Since then, she grew fond of John, frequently asking him how he felt and making sure he was physically okay before he left, while preserving a reasonable distance between them to not anger Harley. More than once, she received colorful insults and threats when she laughed a little bit too loud at his jokes, or when she smiled a little bit too tenderly. She thought it was not that Harley was jealous, more than she did not want to share her toys ––or rather, she was convinced that this is how she viewed John.

She thought that John appreciated her as well, seeing how many times he would come to her to tend to his simplest wounds ––even when there was no wound really, he simply enjoyed having someone taking care of him, possibly something he was cruelly lacking in his life, especially with Harley, with whom he was supposedly madly in love.

John seemed like he did not belong with the rest of the group. Ada always thought, though she would never express it, that John deserved more, better. She thought that if he had help to treat his issues, he could be a decent human being, a kind man who only wanted to be accepted, and liked. But he was with them, with criminals and murderers, and it broke her heart to see him turn into someone more violent each day.

More often than she would care to admit, she messaged him, trying to entertain the good and softer side of him. It was her way to keep him afloat between two gruesome missions. When he was away, having a drink at the Stacked Deck, or wandering in the streets, she would ask how he was feeling, how his day was. Most of the time, he answered happily, often talking about Harley. She soon became his confidant when it came to his undying love for her, asking her what to say, or how to react.

Ada appreciated John, and wanted him to be healthy, and saved. Which is why she felt so nervous that night, like every other night where the group was getting started. She looked at the group in the distance, observing Harley getting her hammer ready, Bane talking loudly, Freeze rolling his shoulders. She also briefly looked at Bruce, wondering why he was here, almost convinced it was not for the reasons he claimed. Finally, she stared at John, who was already euphoric, excited. When their eyes met, he widely smiled at her and gave her a happy thumbs up. She smiled back, and gave him a thumbs up in return. When they left, she went upstairs, locked the door of her room behind her, laid on the uncomfortable bed and curled into a ball of anxiety, waiting for the group to come back home. The sound of the heavy rain tapping on the metallic ceiling soothed her slightly. It has been raining uninterruptedly for a week now. She closed her eyes, attempting to get some rest before what was coming ––wounds and injuries to take care of, blood to wash, and nerves to calm down.

The light sound of her phone chirping immediately woke her up. She stretched her arm, and took her phone, looking at the time; it was almost midnight, they were gone for nearly an hour now, which was considered a long time for what they planned. On her screen, the icon of an unread message from John made her smile.

‘‘We did it!! Brucie was great tonight! We’ll be home very soon!’’ 

She loved how she could feel his excitement through his words, and appreciated him letting her know when to get ready. More than once, John gave her a lot of small attention that helped her work things out with the rest of the team. She jumped out of her creaking bed, and prepared her material: bandages, surgical thread and needles, disinfecting products, painkillers, gloves… She made sure she had everything she needed in good quantities to avoid coming back to her room and losing precious time in case the situation was getting out of hand. The sound of screeching tires alerted her that it was time to go down and get ready for her job.

When the black armored vehicle penetrated the Old Five Points, Ada breathed in deeply and steadily grabbed the handle of her medical bag, flattening her used medical coat. As soon as the members got out of the vehicle, she scanned them one by one, to determine the order of priority in which to operate. She thought that Harley would be first, then Bane, followed by Bruce, and finally John, who was merely bruised. Freeze was usually taking care of himself, his ‘‘condition’’ making him difficult to treat when inexperienced.

Immediately, she ran to Harley, dragging a folded chair with her, asking her how she felt, if something hurt, and what happened. She sat her down and examined her thoroughly, washing her lesions, stitching a wound, bandaging a superficial cut… Ada was precise, quick, professional; qualities that everyone in the group appreciated about her, even if they would never articulate it openly.

– Damn it, be careful or you’ll be sorry!’’ Harley screamed when she accidentally touched a sensitive bruise. She immediately apologized without even looking at her, almost mechanically. Once she was done, she took care of Bane, who begrudgingly accepted her help. He was too proud to ask for help, yet grateful once he received it. A man with his own moral code, she guessed.

– Thank you, little one’’ he thanked her once she was finished with her last stitch.

– Of course. Take it easy for a day or two, would you?’’ she replied, fully aware he would not listen to her advice. She then waved at Bruce, who looked surprisingly calm and collected for a ‘‘newbie’’. When she pointed at the chair, he sat down, and she started examining his bruises silently. Bruce looked around him, and waited for everyone to disappear before he could talk.

– So, is it always how operations end?’’ he asked, almost politely, perhaps to spark a more interesting conversation.

– I won’t ask you if you’ll have the stomach to endure it, it seems like you’re already fairly used to that kind of thing…’’ Ada replied, determined to know more about his true motives.

– I wanted to ask you… What did you mean back then, when you said some of them did not belong here?’’ Bruce asked, dodging her last comment. She sighed, and furrowed her brow as she applied some disinfecting product on a lesion. A loud noise made her jump; she saw John, covering his mouth with his hands, who just dropped a loud container on the ground. Harley quickly stormed in and yelled at him for being careless. She then sighed, and shook her head.

– John is merely a puppet. Unsure of his place. Trying to please people around him. He deserves guidance, I know he can get help. He’s salvageable.’’ Bruce silently nodded in response. 

‘‘Promise me… when this is over, you’ll take care of him, and treat him fairly.’’ In this instant, Bruce realized he did not fool her, and probably never will.

– You seem to care a lot about him’’ he simply noted. In the distance, both of them could hear Harley finishing berating John, and see his sorry look as he ran a hand in his hair, massaging his scalp.

– Please don’t let him down’’ Ada simply answered as she finished bandaging his hand. Bruce nodded and left the chair, while she waved at John to take his place. His face brightened instantly, a wide smile appearing. He ran to the chair excitingly, obviously looking for this moment.

– So, what happened, John?’’ she asked in a friendly voice, looking at the light bruise on his face.

– It was… it was grandiose! Brucie… he was amazing. I’m so proud of him! Of course he would be amazing though. I’m not surprised one bit!’’ John stuttered, talked fast, gestured, almost incapable of sitting still on the chair. Ada tenderly sighed, and delicately took his chin in his hand, making him look at her. He immediately got quiet when he felt the warm touch of her skin.

– I’m talking about your face, silly’’ she kindly clarified. His eyes shined, he stared into her hazel eyes for a while, enjoying her comforting touch and attention.

– Oh, right– so these guys, from the Agency… they wouldn’t let us go! But you should have seen them, they were no match!’’ The more John talked about his night, the happier he sounded. She wondered what made him so cheerful; was it the company of Bruce Wayne, the rush of adrenaline, being part of a group? She was not sure, but she could listen to him all night, his joy was contagious. Deep inside of her, she felt a comfortable warmth. 

She enjoyed listening to him and simply spending time next to him; he was always so genuine with his feelings. Not only did he seem ecstatic to have someone listen to him, but this was also an opportunity for her to look at him closely. And staring at him was one of her favorite moments of the day; she thought he had a lot of charm and charisma, he was always carefully dressed, his immensely expressive eyes were captivating… Even his green hair, now wet from the rain, looked beautiful to her. She wondered if John was also enjoying these moments, as much as she did. Her heart was beating a little bit harder every time she was close to him. Until he left with Harley.

Speaking of which, Ada soon heard the clicking sound of Harley’s heels on the concrete, and after applying a small band-aid on his cheek ––he was not really hurt, yet he still enjoyed being comforted––, she said goodbye to John, who looked almost disappointed for a minute, until he noticed his lover. When she finally went away, Harley stopped her, pushing her hammer against Ada’s stomach. The cold material and its pressure against her abdomen felt like a ferocious threat; Ada did not move one finger, terrified of her. They silently exchanged looks, Harley’s brow was angrily furrowed for an instant, then her face muscles relaxed, and she removed her hammer with a grin on her painted face.

– Thank you for taking care of pudding!’’ she said in a high pitched voice, a voice that seemed infinitely fake. 

– Of course, Harley. I’m here to help you’’ Ada replied in a calm voice. Before she could leave, she felt Harley grabbing her arm. She approached her face close enough that her whispers sounded menacing.

– Speaking of… I don’t really like how you or Mister Suit monopolize him. John… he’s a mad dog, and I need all of his attention to train him properly. Don’t ruin my efforts, would you? Besides… between girls, we need to help each other out. Wouldn’t you rather be friends?’’ her words pierced her heart and sounded like threats. Ada felt her pulse in her throat. Truthfully, she was scared of her; she was not like one of them, she was much weaker, infinitely less brave.

She simply nodded in response, and Harley flashed her a friendly smile before releasing her grip. She left the main platform and went to her room, her jaw clenched, her brow furrowed, even her lips were sealed tightly. A notable anger made her blood boil; she wished she was strong enough to give her a piece of her mind without fearing for her life, but she was only the helpless nurse. She despised the way Harley was talking about him, and tonight was worse; comparing him to a dog in need of training lit a fire in her stomach. In the staircase, lost in her thoughts, she ran across Bruce, ready to leave and go back home. He cocked an eyebrow at her, like a silent question. In return, she looked in Harley and John’s direction.

– He… he deserves better’’ she muttered. Bruce sighed, and offered a sympathetic smile.

– You have a good heart, Ada. I’ll see you around’’ he replied, before exiting the building. 

At this moment, Ada felt the weight of her incredible loneliness and hopelessness. Steadily grabbing the handle of her medical bag, she went to her room, locked the door behind her and crashed on the creaky bed. A few silent tears rolled on her cheek, an unnamed disturbing feeling occupied her mind. The sound of the rain did not calm her that night, as she fell asleep with great difficulty.

*

The next day was a calmer day for everyone. As Bane and Freeze were discussing the details of their next operation, Harley got bored and asked John to take her out.

– Pud’, I want to go to the Stacked Deck, care to join me?’’ she asked, in a tone that did not give him much choice, not that he had any issue making his mind anyway. He jumped on his feet and brushed his hands on his vest, making him look as nice as possible.

– Of course, Harley! I’d love to!’’ he cheerfully answered, his eyes shining like two emeralds. As they walked away, he noticed Ada in the distance, reading a book quietly in a corner of the platform. He looked at his feet for an instant, and licked his lips before turning to Harley.

– Hey Harl’, should we… Should we invite Ada along?’’ he asked, pointing her with his thumb. A question he almost immediately regretted, as her eyes darkened and she furrowed her brow. 

– I don’t care, pudding’’ she lied, but John either did not perceive it, or did not want to perceive it. Perhaps in an attempt to soothe the situation, he grabbed his phone and wrote a text.

– I’ll… I’ll also propose to Bruce, then! So we can all be together!’’ he said, before waving at Ada. 

‘‘We’re going to the Stacked Deck! You want to come with us?’’ he shouted at her. She was not really sure whether she should accept, considering the exasperated face of Harley, but she thought she did not go out for some time now, and she missed doing more ‘‘normal’’ activities, even with not so normal people. She put on her long black coat, quickly ran a hand in her hair that she untied in an attempt to make it look a little bit better, and adjusted her crooked glasses on her small nose, before joining the two of them, and sat in the car, in direction to the bar.

Arriving at destination, Bruce was already there, which made John beyond delighted. He politely smiled at Ada, who was scanning the perimeter with her tired eyes, trying to embrace the feeling of normalcy floating around her. She then asked what the rest of them wanted to drink before directing herself to the bartender. Bruce followed her steps soon after.

– I didn’t expect you to come’’ she said.

– John said it was only the two of them, and you. I could not let you suffer alone.’’ She was not certain whether he was joking or being serious, but she felt grateful nonetheless. 

‘‘Are you… feeling better?’’ he then asked. She smiled shyly in response.

– Much better. I’m sorry for worrying you’’ she answered immediately. While they were waiting for their drinks, a small silence persisted for a few minutes, before Bruce finally cleared his throat.

– I agree with you, you know? About John. He needs better. And I want him to find help. The guidance he deserves.’’ 

– Will you protect him, when this is over?’’ A somewhat long pause followed her question.

– I will do the best I can. I promise’’ Bruce answered solemnly.

When the drinks were ready, Ada brought them to the table where John and Harley were already sitting and chatting. She noticed Harley’s hand on his, her slender fingers caressing his pale skin; sometimes, she would whisper something in his ear, making him open wide eyes and stutter. She was playing with him, and it made her sick to her stomach. She decided to give them some privacy, and directed herself to the back of the bar to play pool. Once again, Bruce followed her, and she handed him a cue that he accepted.

– Weird couple, uh?’’ he commented. She silently cocked an eyebrow in agreement.

– You can say that again.’’

– I can’t tell if you are disapproving, jealous, or both.’’ His last remark made her miss her attempt, and she coughed.

– Jealous?!’’ she exclaimed loudly in a voice that did not convince anyone, not even herself.

‘‘Ah… maybe a little. Yeah’’ she finally admitted. Bruce got closer to her and looked at her. His nonjudgmental gaze felt good, she thought she could confide in him easily.

– What is really going on between you two?’’ he carefully asked.

– Honestly? Nothing. We’re friends. I might have a soft spot for him but…’’ she could not finish her sentence as she felt tears in her eyes. Surprised by her own feelings, she nervously smiled. ‘‘God, I’m pathetic.’’

– No, Ada. You’re not. John is… a good guy. I can see why someone would like him. Especially someone like you, with a good heart.’’ She snorted.

– Well, there’s no point thinking of those things now, is there?’’

She never really thought of her own feelings, or put a clear label on them. She appreciated John. She probably even liked him. But she refused to feel more than that, for various reasons, the main one being Harley.

Ada and Bruce spent some time playing pool, talking about each other; it almost felt like a normal day with friends, she thought. From time to time, she would look behind her and see Harley all over John, kissing him deeply, running her long fingers in his hair. She only grimaced, then sighed, before Bruce reminded her that she was only hurting herself. She hated that he was right.

When Harley left for the bathroom, John finally joined them, a grin on his face. His lips were now slightly tainted by Harley’s lipstick, and for an instant Ada wondered what they felt like before brushing the thought away. He approached her, and after a brief hesitation, he looked at her.

– Thank you for taking care of me yesterday! That was… that was really nice of you” he said, almost shyly. 

She wanted to hold him, in this exact moment. Many chaotic thoughts collided with each other; she wanted to hold his hand, taste his lips, feel his hair. She wanted to protect him, leave with him far away. More importantly, she wanted him to feel the same way about her. Which was most probably not the case, she realized as she put a strand of hair behind her ear and adjusted her glasses. Instead, she politely smiled at him.

– Of course, John. You deserve it. You deserve to be happy.” When she realized she sounded more serious than what she hoped for, Bruce slightly smiled, observing her from the other extremity of the pool table.

– You’re always kind to me, you know? It feels good, kindness” he added, looking at her. Her heart skipped a beat and she put a hand on his, surprising him. She swallowed thickly and summoned every fiber of courage she had in her.

– Is Harley not kind to you?” 

She immediately regretted her question, but did not remove her hand. He looked at her with shining eyes, and for a second she could swear she saw a veil of sadness in his gaze. He opened his mouth, visibly looking for the right words, but before he could answer he heard Harley leaving the bathroom, and he simply smiled.

– You care about me that much?” he whispered, before removing his hand delicately. She was almost certain she felt his thumb grazing the skin of her hand, but it could also have been her imagination.

John directed himself to Harley, and the both of them went back to the table where they talked, laughed, flirted. Ada heard Bruce humming.

– I’m sure he will remember that.” Bruce was not the most convincing person when it came to comforting someone, but she still appreciated the effort. She flashed a timid smile and adjusted her glasses. At the same moment, Bruce’s phone vibrated, and he displayed a worried look on his face, looking at the screen. He calmly put it back in his pocket, and put away the pool cue.

– Bad news?’’ she asked hesitantly. He gently shook his head negatively.

– I have to go. Would you like me to drop you at the base?’’ She turned her head and saw John and Harley still talking, or rather she was talking and he was listening. She raised an eyebrow, and sighed in exasperation.

– Sure, I’d rather not be alone with them.’’ With that said, she fetched her and Bruce’s coats, and started getting ready to leave. As she tied the belt of her coat, John turned his head and opened wide eyes.

– Oh, you leaving so soon?’’ he asked in a soft voice that gave away his disappointment. Ada offered him a friendly smile.

– I’ll see you both later at the base. Have fun you two!’’ Her encouraging words were enough to put a smile on John’s face, even Harley smirked ––though, she could not tell if she was being genuine or not. Soon after, she left with Bruce, taking place in his expensive car.

– I had a good time, thank you Bruce’’ she muttered, comfortably seated in the warm vehicle, the faint vibrating sound of the motor coupled with the tapping noise of the never ending rain seemingly soothing her.

– Will you… be okay?’’ he cautiously asked.

– Yeah, don’t worry, I’m fine. Thank you’’ she lied. She knew she lied, but she was not ready to address the multitude of emotions she was feeling. Right now, she wanted to enjoy the warmth of the car, perhaps allow herself to get some sleep, safely nested against the leather seat. Her forehead laying against the window, she looked at the street lights reflecting on the wet road.

Bruce stopped the car near the Old Five Points and gently squeezed Ada’s shoulder who dozed off during the trip. She immediately woke up, shook her head and rubbed her eyes underneath her glasses.

– Thanks again, Bruce. I’ll see you around?’’ she said, opening the car door.

– Take care, Ada’’ he replied with a gentle smile. He waited for her to disappear in the distance before turning the engine on.

She ran under the rain to quickly penetrate the base, and she sighed profoundly. In the corner, Bane was heavily training, grunting every time he hit the punching ball, perfectly unaware of her presence, which was fine with her. She dragged herself to the other corner of the area, fell heavily on a chair and put her forehead on the table, grunting and moaning, grabbing her hair. She was processing the day, now fully regretting the words she told John. What was she even thinking? That he would ditch Harley here and there? For what, for whom? Her? She grunted some more at the ridiculous thought of it, before a cold touch on her shoulder startled her.

– Are you alright?’’ Freeze asked, in a monotonous and almost unemotional tone. She looked at him and felt the blood of her cheeks burning.

– I’m sorry, Victor… I didn’t think someone would see me’’ she replied, embarrassed. He dragged a chair next to her and looked at her silently through his red tinted goggles, perhaps waiting for a more elaborate excuse. 

‘‘I’m just tired…’’

– What happened, Ada?’’ he cut, ignoring her lie. She licked her lips, thinking carefully of her next words. 

She replayed the whole day over and over in her head, feeling her frustration building up, until a few burning tears shined in her eyes like immense transparent pearls, her body started to tremble, and she quietly sobbed, in front of him, with no restraint. Furrowing her brow, she lifted her head, staring at him with pleading eyes; unconsciously begging him to read her soul and mind.

She could not stop the tears from rolling on her cheeks anymore, and Freeze turned to Bane, making sure he was unaware of her breakdown, then dragged his chair in such a way to cover her more, allowing her some sort of privacy. He crossed his legs, and gently put his hand on top of her. Despite it being cold, she found the warmth of his gesture.

– Thank you, Victor’’ she muttered, genuinely touched by his thoughtful presence. He nodded quietly.

– Take your time’’ he encouraged her, squeezing her hand. 

‘‘Did something happen at the bar?’’ he asked. She positively shook her head, and he hummed.

‘‘Is it about Wayne?’’ She shook her head negatively.

‘‘Is it about John?’’ At the sound of his name, she sobbed more, heavy tears rolling and crashing on the table, stifling a gentle cry.

‘‘Ah… I see.’’

– I think… I think I’m in love with him’’ she whispered, acknowledging for the first time her own feelings. Freeze hummed, caressing his chin with his gloved hand.

– Beautiful thing, love. Precious, too’’ he muttered. She was aware of his wife’s condition; Freeze was actively looking for a cure for her illness. Until then, he kept her frozen somewhere in the base. He was only living for her, sacrificing his soul, body and mind in order to find the answers to his questions. As such, he was particularly receptive to Ada’s sorrows, something she was grateful for.

– I can’t… stand it anymore. Seeing him getting used, manipulated like that–’’

– When someone else could take care of him’’ he cut her, completing her thought. She nodded.

‘‘I can feel your anguish, child. But something I learnt is that you should never stop fighting for what is important to you.’’

– Harley would crush me if I merely confessed to him.’’

– Hang in there, child. If there is love, there is always a way.’’

His calm voice and kind words soothed her immensely, and she thanked him with a smile ––a genuine smile. As he squeezed her hand one last time before leaving the table to get back to his work, she wiped her tears with the back of her hand, slowly collecting herself. If anyone would have told her merely a few months ago that a ferocious criminal would have the right words in her time of need, she would have laughed at their face; yet here she was, her aching heart appeased, growing a young hope, merely visible now but very much so present in her core.

The vivid emotions drained her, and soon she felt the need to isolate herself, leaving the area to lock herself in her room. Crashing on the bed, she looked at her phone, reading over and over again the messages John sent her in the past. Surely, there must be a way to take him away from this life of crime, she thought. Before she could sketch a better idea, she fell asleep, exhausted from today’s events.

A loud noise woke her up; screams pierced the night. Ada quickly grabbed her phone and checked the time; she passed out for a couple of hours. Immediately, she ran down the stairs, carrying her medical bag in case there was an emergency, and almost bumped into Harley.

– What happened, Harley?’’ she asked, worried and panicked.

– John will drive me crazy one day! He thought it would be such a good idea to mess with cops on the way home! We almost got caught, can you believe that guy?!’’ she replied, out of her mind, so furious her face was turning red.

Silently, Ada joined the rest of the group, looking for John who was sitting, a defeated look on his face. She sighed, and sat next to him. She could tell how sad he was, his head remaining low. Then, she noticed his left eye, red and slightly puffy, knowing he would have a black eye the next morning. She opened her bag, retrieved a cold compress and carefully handed it to him, who in exchange offered her a sad smile and muttered a thank you.

– Did Harley do that to you?’’ she softly asked, sinking her hazel eyes into his immense green ones. They shined like blurry emeralds, through a veil of sadness. He chuckled in response.

– You're always so kind to me, Ada. Makes me wonder sometimes…’’ he muttered before getting quiet.

– Wonder what, John?’’ she asked, putting her hand on his, like a silent plea. He smirked.

– Why do you care that much about me?’’ he asked, now holding her hand. She felt the warmth of his fingers intertwined with hers, his soft skin brushing against hers. It was most probably innocent, coming from him, yet it made her heart sing like it never did.

A loud bang interrupted their moment, as Harley stormed back in, smashing the door behind her. Ada quickly removed her hand from his, but not quick enough; Harley scoffed, grabbed her by the collar of her coat, and threw her on the ground.

The impact of her body hitting the cold concrete floor made her yelp in pain and surprise, then she felt Harley on top of her, her hands furiously grabbing her collar, elevating her chest and head. Harley’s dark eyes were shooting daggers at her, and her tight grip made her panic.

– You think you’re so sweet and kind, uh? Like you’re better than us?’’ Harley spewed before forcefully pushing her down, making her head hit the floor. Ada’s vision instantly got blurry, asides from the millions of tiny dots briefly flashing in front of her eyes. Instinctively, she covered her face with her hands but to no point, as Harley quickly pinned down one of her wrists and clenched her other fist hitting directly on her cheek, smashing away her glasses. The shock made her see a blank screen for a brief second, unable to hear anything clearly; not Harley’s screams, not John asking her to stop, only the rain hitting the building.

When Bane grabbed Harley from behind and took her aside, Ada coughed, trying to catch her irregular breath, under the worried eyes of John. Painfully, she rolled on her side, then shakingly stood up. She did not retrieve her glasses, instead she tremblingly headed to the exit, a strong feeling of disgust and rage intoxicating her, and the capital need of fresh air urging her to leave the place. 

As soon as she was outside, the cold and heavy rain on her face soothed her pain. She took a few steps in the dark night and lifted her head, looking at the sky. Closing her eyes, she felt her rapid and short breathing, the blood rushing in her veins, her pulse on her face. She also felt the pressure of Harley’s hands on her like a ghost, the back of her head stinging. Delicately, she ran her fingers in her silky yet drenched hair. Her mouth twisted into a grimace, and she soon sobbed. 

Under the seemingly never ending rain, she cried all the tears she hid. She cried loudly; she was not sure if her physical pain hurt more than her emotional distress. She could not have fought back even if she wanted to; she was not brave, or dangerous like them. She was weak, cowardly, helpless. She sincerely thought she could have made a difference, changed people. But right now, she doubted everything she ever believed in. Around her, every light was blurry, melting into the starry night. She felt lonelier than ever, she felt close to giving up, heading back home and never returning. 

– Hm… Ada?’’ A soft voice out of nowhere made her jump. She turned her head and saw John approaching her. She squinted, trying to see him more clearly, her brow furrowed and her mouth twisted in anguish and sadness. 

‘‘I– I’m sorry’’ he finally said, handing her something that she could not identify at first; it was her glasses. She flashed a sad smile and shakily muttered a thank you.

– You’re gonna get cold, John. You should get back inside’’ she said, holding her glasses, her fingers brushing against his hands. Before she could put them back on, he delicately grabbed her wrists, lifting them between each other.

Painfully slowly, almost hesitantly, John approached his head from her and kissed her softly. His lips merely grazed hers, but she sighed and closed her eyes, a warmth building inside of her. When he removed his face from hers, she closed the distance between them, held his face with her two hands and kissed him back. Surprised, he first opened his eyes wide, then closed them again, timidly wrapping an arm around her waist.

She caressed his arm with one hand, and she wrapped her other arm around his shoulders, gently pulling him closer to her. The rain was gliding on their skin, making their lips slippery, yet she felt an intense warmth inside of her. At the erratic rhythm of her heartbeat, she kissed him, their breathing mixing together. She slipped her fingers through his mane, raindrops running down her hand.

When the softest moan escaped her lips, he pulled her closer, his two arms steadily enveloping her waist. She felt the wet fabric of his vest brushing against her shirt, she tasted his lips over and over again, as if each one of their kisses would be the last. After a millionth kiss, he gently laid his forehead against hers, his eyes still closed; they maintained that silent position for what seemed like an eternity. Then, John chuckled, the sound of his voice making her heart tremble.

– We… we really should get back inside. I’m soaked!’’ he chuckled. She nodded.

– Let's go home’’ she whispered, putting her glasses on. He then removed himself from her, his hand brushing against hers before slipping his fingers between hers, staying immobile for a few more seconds. At this moment, it seemed like the world stopped; she felt content and calm, until he cautiously removed his hand from hers and turned away.

Silently, they rejoined the base together, her following his steps closely. Once inside, he turned his head and winked at her, a gentle smile on his face, then left the floor, probably to change his drenched clothes, while she remained immobile, still on cloud nine. She felt the soft fabric of a dry towel around her shoulders. Freeze was looking at her, a friendly look in his eyes, while Ada grasped the towel and started rubbing her face with it.

– I’m glad you’re back. I thought you left for good’’ he said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

‘‘Seems like John was very convincing, wasn’t he?’’ he asked rhetorically; in response she bowed her head, her rosy cheeks burning. He put his hand behind her back, accompanying her to the nearest table where they sat together, and remained silent for a few seconds.

‘‘Tomorrow, we’re breaking into the SANCTUS laboratories. Wayne found their location. The virus will most probably be there as well’’ he carefully explained.

– Will that be… dangerous?’’ she asked. He nodded affirmatively.

– Most probably. But it will be worth it. Thanks to it… I will be able to find a cure for Nora’’ he answered, referring to his wife. 

‘‘And when everything will be over… you can leave, if you want to. You might even be able to take John with you.’’

– If the cops don’t have other plans for him…’’ she muttered. Freeze hummed.

– At worst, he will have someone who will visit him in Arkham.’’

Ada nervously chuckled, looking at the water from her hair dropping on the table, feeling a tight knot in her stomach. Freeze brought her back to reality; no matter how she looked at the situation, John was in deep troubles. If he was lucky, he might end up in Arkham, where he will be treated –or at least an attempt will be made– though she did not know if he would ever get out. The thought of it made her furrow her brow in anguish and tightly grasp the towel.

– Don’t worry, child. You will find a way, I know it’’ Freeze declared before leaving his seat. Once again, he had the right few words to cheer her up. She dragged her body to her room, locked the door behind her and slowly undressed, throwing her soaked clothes on the floor. As she slid under the blankets, she felt her heart aching, anxious and afraid. Unable to sleep, she took her phone and typed a message that she erased and wrote again multiple times, each time worded differently.

‘‘Be careful tomorrow’’ she finally sent to John. Merely a minute later, her phone chirped, as he wrote back.

‘‘I promise! We should celebrate once we’re done.’’

‘‘I can’t wait’’ was her last message to him for the evening. Her fingers drumming on her phone, she hesitantly wrote another message, to Bruce this time.

‘‘Will you be alright tomorrow?’’

‘‘Don’t worry, I got it under control’’ Bruce replied a few minutes later.

There were a thousand more questions she wanted to ask him, and they all revolved around John. Will he be okay? Will you protect him? What will happen to him next? But she probably would not have the answers she hoped for, if any. After all, he was simply Bruce Wayne; even if his role was still unclear to her, she could not possibly hope for him to save John.

A few tears blurred her vision, as she felt a knot in her throat. She spent the rest of her night looking over and over again at the messages and pictures John sent her over the last couple of months, until she inevitably fell asleep.

The yells and rattling sounds woke her up the next morning. She dressed up in a hurry and ran down the stairs, carefully watching the Pact getting ready for what could possibly be their biggest move. That virus was invaluable for most of the group: Bane wanted a cure for his addiction to the Venom; Freeze wanted to study a way to save his wife; and Harley… even if she did not articulate her mind, there were reasons to suggest that she wanted to prevent her mental health from deteriorating, like what happened to her father; as for John, he was mainly sticking around to be next to Harley, though since the last few days he was questioning his motives. The stakes were high for everyone.

The odd choreography of the group planning their material and next steps like they usually do felt different today for some reason; perhaps they were all aware that today might change their entire life for better or worse. Ada had a bitter taste in her mouth and a painful knot in her stomach, while she looked at them. Bane was yelling orders here and there, Freeze seemed somewhat calm and focused, Harley was polishing her bloodied hammer, Bruce stood up in a corner with his arms crossed, and John seemed anxious, nervous. When he locked eyes with her, his furrowed brow relaxed and he flashed her a smile, giving her a thumbs up.

She mouthed “are you okay?” in the distance, to which he frantically shook his head positively in answer. She did not really believe him, yet she had no other choice but accept his response. She then looked at Bruce, who nodded in a way that seemed to tell her “don’t worry”. 

As she joined the group, Harley walked towards her, who flinched in fear.

– Hey, Ada. I just wanted to apologize for yesterday. I wasn’t… myself, you know?” Harley said in a voice that seemed natural; a genuine voice, for a genuine apology. 

“Truth is… I appreciated you being here, for all of us. I guess I won’t see you again, so I thought I’d let you know.”

– Thank you for the apology, Harley. I appreciate it” she answered with a shy smile. Her words were hard to believe considering how her cheek was now slightly swollen, tender and already turning purple from last night’s altercation. 

She might have spent more than two months with her, yet she still had a hard time understanding the complexity of Harley’s mind. Not that it mattered anymore, she thought to herself, crossing her arms, watching the rest of the group getting active.

Surprisingly enough, everyone took turns saying goodbye to Ada. Bane graciously shook her hand and thanked her profusely for her work “putting up with them”; Victor gently squeezed her shoulder with one hand and offered her a smile, along with a faint “take care, child”; and John embraced her tightly. As she wrapped her hands around him, and felt his heart racing against her, she realized how she might even miss them all, to some degree, despite the horrifying crimes they committed.

– Thank you for being such a good friend to me’’ John whispered. Ada swallowed thickly, her eyes getting puffy and filled with tears.

– Be good, John. I’ll see you soon’’ she promised, even though she had no clue as to whether she would be able to maintain her promise.

When he left her body, it was like a part of her own skin left with him. An excruciatingly painful layer of her soul missed instantly. She wanted to tell all of them to not go, to surrender and seek help; though she was not naive enough to believe they would actually listen to her. Most importantly, she wanted John to stay with her, far away from any trouble. Bruce might have caught on her anguish, as he joined her.

– You should go. Pack your things, go back to your normal life. You did great, Ada’’ Bruce reassured her. She merely nodded in response, standing up in the alley until the armored truck left, and with it every remaining member of the Pact. 

She felt numb to the pain, empty even. After an instant, her body finally moved and she did exactly what Bruce advised her to do; she went and packed her few clothes and material, she made her bed, made sure she did not forget anything and, after glancing one last time at the base and the memories she had of it, left the place for good.

*

Journalists were not fast enough to cover the events of the day until the night came. Ada was following the development of the situation on her television with anguish; the operation was infructuous, as she learnt that Freeze and Bane got caught by the Agency, while John and Harley escaped earlier today. If John’s location was still unsure at this time, Harley was now blocking the Gotham Bridge, threatening to blow everything if she was not given the virus.

Ada clenched her fists on her pillow, her mouth dry, wondering what would happen next, when she received a phone call from John. She frantically picked it up.

– Hey Ada! I’m with Brucie right now, we’re going to stop Harley’’ John nervously chuckled on the phone.

– John?! What happened? Are you safe? What’s going on?’’ Ada basically screamed every question at the same time, her eyes fixed on the screen of her television as she eventually recognized Bruce’s car appearing in the frame.

– I– I don’t know what’s happening now but… I needed to tell you… I didn’t want things to go this way… And I didn’t want to harm anyone, I just– I wanted to do things right and… You believe me, right?’’ John sounded panicked and disoriented.

– John, what– Of course, yes, I believe you’’ she stuttered, thinking that what John needed the most right now was comfort. She heard him sigh on the other end of the line.

– Thank you again, I needed to… to hear that. We’re going to speak to Harley, make her change her mind. I’ll see you around?’’

– Be careful, John’’ she whispered before the call ended, and she bursted into tears.

Squeezing a pillow against her body, she witnessed the rest of the night through her screen. 

She first saw Bruce approaching Harley, probably trying to talk to her and make her change her mind. The exchange seemed inefficient, as her gestures were more hostile, and John’s silhouette soon appeared behind Bruce. Hesitantly at first, he walked towards her confidently, steadily, and got close to her, speaking for what seemed like an eternity.

Suddenly, a coop seemed to lose his patience, probably not trusting the two criminals, and started shooting at them, under the horrified eyes of Ada, locked on her television screen. Her heartbeat was frantic, tears filled her eyes as her body trembled. John seemed disoriented, shocked by the attack, and screamed something at them. Finally, he jumped off the bridge, his body sinking into the sea, while Harley succeedingly escaped through the police cars.

It all took place in merely a few seconds, before the world went silent again. Ada curled into a foetal position, her face buried in her hands, crying, torn apart, feeling powerless. That night, she wished she could have done something more. She wished she made a difference. She wished she saved them all. Swallowed by a strong veil of sorrow, anguish and regret, she could not even hear Bruce’s message; a few painful words that would soon burn her soul like red iron.

‘‘I’m sorry I couldn’t save him.’’


End file.
